The Hearts of Lions
by beyond the magic
Summary: In an attempt to prevent Xanxus from wreaking havoc throughout the world, Renato sets out to gather a group strong enough to fight against him. Unfortunately, the kids he finds aren't prepared for war, and time is not on their side.


As far as anyone was concerned, Sawada Tsunayoshi was as useful as a knife for eating soup. Or so, that was what the eighteen-year-old told himself whenever he interacted with anyone. While most people had the common decency not to tell him this straight to his face, Tsuna could tell that it was a common thought running through people's minds when he was around them. The murmurs he heard behind his back or the insults spat in his face by his mother's patrons were enough confirmation.

There was, after all, plenty of evidence supporting this general mindset. There wasn't a week when Tsuna didn't end up accidentally dropping crockery of some sort, and it wasn't too uncommon for the youth to bump into a patron whilst trying to clean up. The only reason why Tsuna allowed himself anywhere near the guests was that him staying back in the kitchen and helping out their chef, Tsuyoshi, had only made things worse. Tsuyoshi himself never yelled or fussed at Tsuna for screwing up his meals, but the guests who suffered through bowls of undercooked or burnt rice and tough vegetables did. After more than a few mishaps, Tsuna banned himself from the kitchen when it came to preparing meals.

That morning, Tsuna did his best to stay focused. It should not have been a particularly hard task, either, as he had long since learned to stay out of the business of the tavern's guests, and most of the guests were already out of the dining hall. As he carefully balanced unfinished cups of tea and plates full of scraps from that morning's breakfast on a small wooden tray, he teetered back to the kitchen. But without realizing it, he started listening in on a conversation as whispers of war in one of the continents made its way to him. Before he knew it, Tsuna collided into a man seated near the kitchen. Tsuna clutched onto the tray, hoping that nothing would fall, but the damage was already done, as egg yolk and green tea poured down the man's dark blue yukata.

Tsuna immediately bowed, with eyes squeezed tight, and muttered out an apology. The man growled and stormed away, but did nothing else. When Tsuna could no longer hear the man's footsteps, he opened his eyes, noticing the shards of a broken plate and an overturned wooden bowl with broth oozing out of it. At least the man had the decency not to spit on his face or feet, unlike the last person he spilled something on. Not that he thought he wouldn't have deserved it. But even he wasn't self-loathing enough to _wish_ that kind of treatment on himself. Scooping up the bowl and shards, careful to avoid the sharper edges so he wouldn't add more scars to his hands, Tsuna placed what had fallen on his tray before entering the kitchen.

The moment the curtain separating the kitchen from the rest of the tavern closed, his mother, Nana, looked up. When she saw his face, she frowned. "Is everything okay, Tsu-kun?"

The teen shook his head and looked back at his mother with downcast eyes. Dropping his tray down a little too forcefully on the counter, he let out a sigh. "I just can't seem to get anything right."

Nana let out a sigh as well before wrapping him in a warm embrace. When they broke apart, Tsuna noticed how the corner of her mouth twitched as she tried giving him one of her heart-warming smiles. "I know it can be hard, especially since our circumstances are less than ideal. But you're doing the best that you can, and that's all that I could ask for. Just because you're struggling with this doesn't mean you weren't meant for more."

While it was technically true that the Sawada family was technically in the lowest class along with other merchants, the amount of business that Nana's inn brought for Nam meant that they were treated better than most merchants. That, and the current daimyo of Nam, Sasagawa Ryuu, was much more lenient in his treatment of non-samurai than neighboring daimyos were.

Of course, as Tsuna knew this wasn't what she meant when referring to their circumstances. But the fact that Tsuna's father was dead bothered him less as the years went by, especially as Tsuyoshi and his son, Takeshi, had started getting closer to him and his mom. The Yamamotos were nothing but supportive to him, and in the fact that they had both moved into the inn a few years ago - though Takeshi had moved away a few months ago - made them as good as family. But being practically family was not enough for the rest of society, and it wasn't enough for Tsuna's flaws to be overlooked either.

"I don't know," Tsuna muttered. As much as little as he thought of himself, he wasn't going to tell that to his mom. The smile she gave him was too sincere, and the belief she had in his capabilities was strong enough for even him to think just slightly better of himself. Looking down at the tray, he thought about all the times he had used it as a shield when mock-fighting Takeshi. If he could say anything for himself, it was that he did have decent reflexive skills. "I guess there's something out there for me."

"That's the spirit, Tsu-kun!" The smile on Nana's face turned into a shining grin, and Tsuna couldn't help but return a small smile of his own. "Now, why don't you help me clean up, and then you can go off for a few hours? It's such a lovely day today, after all."

Tsuna nodded, and the mother and son duo set off to clean the ground floor of their inn. With the absence of possible distractors, Tsuna actually managed not to break anything else for the day as he helped clear the rest of the kitchen and brought out the equipment to prepare tea. Once the cushions were cleaned up and arranged in the lounge area, his mother gave him the nod for him to go out.

When he was younger, his mother had used the extra time they had in the day to teach him various topics. At first, she had started off with basic etiquette, which, while he never did have her poise, he had managed to learn fairly well. It was one of the few things that he had retained from before coming to Nam, though Namian customs were different than the ones he had practiced for so long. What he didn't take well to, however, were mathematics and literature. He could read, at least more than the average person, and if pressed to perform a simple computation, he might be able to give the proper answer, but neither ever interested him. As for cooking, sewing, and writing, he was lucky if his work did not end in ruins. The only other thing that Tsuna had taken to was language learning - he was now fluent in two languages, and could make out a fair amount in two others. But his success with languages was not enough to keep him interested most days, and now he only studied with his mother a couple of times a week.

As Tsuna left the inn, he walked toward the docks, away from the rest of town, which consisted of the food market, a bathhouse, ten or so merchants' shops, townhouses, a shrine, and the inn. Looking at the docks, he quickly noted that two ships were docked. On one ship, the crew was preparing for the impending departure scheduled for that evening, while on the other, passengers were exiting. New arrivals usually meant more business for the inn, as the influx of visitors had been steadily increasing as each ship returned, and the closest inn aside from Nana's was about three hours by foot from there, on the edge of Nam's capital.

Now walking away from the docks, Tsuna took a dirt path that led him out to the beach. A few people were fishing, some on the shore and some just off-shore in a small boat, but aside from them, there were no other people on the beach. Tsuna continued to walk along the rocky sand until he found a completely secluded area where the sand only contained a few shells and rocks, and instead sported plants. While he never ventured more than a few steps into the sea due to his inability to swim, there was something about the spot that brought him calm. The warmth of the sun was sometimes the only comfort that broke through the cruelness of the world. The gentle sea breeze was honest but forgiving, the open sky more accepting than any person in the world. Yet, there was something else driving him toward the sea so often, even if he didn't want to admit it to himself.

Secretly, he still hoped to run into the girl with the golden aura whom he had met all those years ago. Sometimes he could still hear the chime of her laughter among the crashing waves and seagull's squalls. He remembered how she had danced, causing her pink kimono and dark curls to swirl around her, and the feeling of her hand in his. There wasn't much else that he remembered about her now, but just the mere reminder of her was enough to melt away all of his troubles.

That day, she did not come to him. Instead, as Tsuna laid against the warm sand, staring up at the wide blue sky, he found himself thinking about Haru, his neighbor, and only friend aside from Takeshi. The two of them had met a few years ago, while her father was off teaching in the mainland and her mother was too sick to care for her. With Nana watching over her for a few weeks, Haru began to help around the hotel during the mornings and nights and received lessons with Tsuna during the days. Though neither of them got along with the other at first, with Haru being full of spirit and enthusiasm and Tsuna lacking both of these, the two eventually bonded over their lack of ability to really connect with anyone else.

It had been a while since the two had last spent much time together since Haru was only allowed to see him in passing while her father was home. But because Haru's father was leaving again for his job, Haru had asked him the day before to come with her to send her father off. Usually, her mother would be the one to accompany her, but for some reason, Haru wanted him there with her. Though he knew he wouldn't be comfortable around the crowds, he wasn't about to tell her no. She was his friend and had tried so hard to help him out with his studies after they had become friends. If she wanted his company, he wasn't going to let his discomfort stop him from trying to repay her kindness. In fact, he was almost looking forward to it, since it meant that he got to spend time with her again.

Closing his eyes, the brunette's smiling face popped into his head. Drifting off into sleep, he thought about how nice it would be to see her again.

When Tsuna woke up, Tsuna guessed that nearly two hours had passed based on the sun's new position in the sky. Picking himself up, he suddenly felt irritated skin and a headache caused by too much exposure to sunlight. At least his skin didn't usually crack or reddened the way it used to. As he made his way to return to the inn, a worried-looking brunette rushed up to him.

"There you are! I was starting to worry that you forgot we were supposed to meet today!" Haru huffed, her arms crossed in a fake pout. Tsuna smiled apologetically, absent-mindedly brushing some of the sand out of his hair. Haru shook her head and smiled back, loosening some strands out of her already loose bun as she inspected him. "So, how was the beach?"

"Hot. And peaceful," Tsuna admitted.

"I'll say. Your hair is sticking up more than usual," Haru said, as she started brushing the sand off his shirt. "But I kind of like it this way. It suits you, in a way. I just can't put my finger on it. "

"Oh, well, thanks." Finally taking in his friend fully, he looked carefully at her yukata. Unlike his, which was dark indigo with thin white stripes, her yukata was a vibrant yellow-green decorated with small golden birds tied with a cherry blossom pink obi. On another person, he might have found the design weird, but it seemed to suit Haru perfectly. "I like your yukata. It suits you."

"Thank you. I designed it myself." When she smiled, Tsuna returned it with a smile of his own. "Now let's get going! I promised my mother that I'd send my father off properly, even though..."

"Even though what?"

"I'll tell you later."

With that, the two began walking toward the docks, with Haru leading the way. As they walked, Tsuna caught her up with everything she's missed at the inn, while Haru talked about her mother and her father's next job.

"He's teaching on the continent?" Tsuna asked.

"Yes. The previous family he taught are related to someone involved with the university over in Umon. He believes that there are more opportunities for our family away from Nam."

"What'll happen if he gets it?" Tsuna noticed how Haru was purposely looking away from him, and filled in the blanks. Haru's eighteenth birthday was only a few weeks away, by the time her father returned, she would be older than some of the other girls trying to marry. Considering that the port town of Yokohara consisted primarily of merchants, and Haru's father showed open disdain at the idea of Haru and Tsuna's friendship, the likelihood of him finding his ideal match for Haru was unlikely if their family remained where they were. "Oh..."

"You know, this doesn't have to be the end," Haru suddenly said. "You mother is a working woman, and she seems pretty happy with her life. I could always find a job here. Perhaps it's time for someone to update the men's fashion around here!"

"Fashion? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Tsuna frowned, but Haru smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"First, those colors really don't flatter you. I personally think you and your mother would look better if you both avoided those dark and neutral colors you tend to wear. Indigo is practical, but not always essential."

"Second?"

"Patterns." As Tsuna started to open his mouth, Haru continued, "And stripes don't count. Just imagine having little yellow suns embroidered along the edges of your yukata. Or purple clouds, even! Actually, some purple really would make your yukata more visually appealing."

"Well, if the occasion ever comes when I'll need new clothes, I'll turn to you," Tsuna replied instead, and Haru beamed at him.

The two had finally reached the docks, and Haru led Tsuna to a boat now full of passengers. A few other people had gathered near the boat as well, calling out to love ones before they departed. Tsuna scanned the people on-board, searching for the familiar dark brown hair and glasses that signaled Mr. Miura, but he wasn't able to spot him.

"Do you see your father?"

"No, and I don't expect to this time," Haru admitted sadly. "We exchanged our goodbyes at home, but my mother still wanted me to come. Maybe she thought we'd make up before he left."

Tsuna started to ask what she meant but remembered what she had started to say earlier, and how she had promised to fill him in later. Not sure of what to say next, he stood in silence next to her and watched on as the boat finally began to depart. As the boat moved further away from the docks, Tsuna felt Haru's hand bump against his own. He grabbed her hand, weaving his fingers between hers. Despite her firm grip on his hand, the sudden shock of warmth he felt was the only thing he noticed. Before they turned to walk back to town, he gave her hand a quick squeeze, feeling that no words would work in this situation.

As the two walked back through town, their hands remained linked. It was only once they had reached the Sawada family inn that Haru let go.

"I have to go check on my mother, but I can come over later, if you need me to," Haru said, a nervous frown on her face. Tsuna studied her face for a second, trying to figure out what she was feeling, but was unable to decipher anything. As much as he would prefer to have her stick around, he knew that it was probably better if she didn't.

"It's okay. We'll probably be able to manage tonight, but you can always come over tomorrow." Haru let out a quiet sigh but smiled.

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow, then." Haru started to turn away, but before she began walking, she added, "Thank you for being with me. It meant a lot."

"Of course," Tsuna replied lamely before entering the inn.

When he entered, there were only a few patrons inside, but Tsuna knew that more would come as the night came closer. As he made his way back to the kitchen, he suddenly felt a pair of eyes watching him. Turning around, he quickly found the culprit to be a man wearing a foreign suit and a strange hat that concealed part of his face from the way it was angled. Tsuna hesitated for a moment, looking between the man and the kitchen, but finally decided to approach the man slowly. "Can I help you with anything, sir?"

"Yes, though not in the way you mean. From what I've heard, you aren't the most competent server, Sawada Tsunayoshi." When the man said his name, Tsuna gasped. The remark might have stung more if it weren't from the sudden rush of anxiety he felt upon hearing this stranger say his name. After all, he was certain that he had never met this man before because he would have remembered that deep, sharply accented voice. As if the man knew what Tsuna was thinking, he continued, "Yes, I know your name. This might seem like our first encounter, but we actually met before. You'll be forgiven for forgetting it, however, because the last time I saw you was fourteen years ago, on your fourth birthday."

"You know I'm not from here?" Tsuna asked in a whisper. The fact that the Sawadas were foreigners was something that they had managed to hide well, especially as more years had passed. Though Tsuna couldn't remember where he and his mother had moved from, he had remembered the long voyage they had made when he was four, and how scared he had been they first arrived in Yokohara.

"Yes. I used to be... friends with your mother and father when you lived in Cede," the man said. At the mention of the word father, Tsuna felt a sudden jolt run through him. Much like the rest of his past, his father was rarely mentioned directly. He knew how much it pained his mother to talk about him, and he was so used to him not being in his life that he never felt compelled to find out more about him.

"Friends? Does my mother know you're here?" Tsuna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Actually, it would probably be best if you brought her here for this next part." Tsuna continued staring at the man skeptically, but he didn't argue. If his mother were able to confirm that she did, in fact, know this man, then he would at least be somewhat more at ease.

Before he even said anything to his mother, she seemed to know what the issue is. "Did Renato ask for me?"

"Yes. So you do know him?" Tsuna asked, his voice raising slightly.

"To an extent. Has he told you anything?" When she asked the question, he noticed that her eyes had narrowed slightly. Whatever this man was up to, it seemed, Nana was just as confused as he was.

"That we're from Cede." At this, Nana's eyes widened in alarm as she began to make her way toward the stranger. "But why does that matter?"

If Nana had heard his comment, she didn't show any signs of it. Instead, she marched over to Renato, standing imposingly over him. As Tsuna took his place beside his mother, she asked, "Why are you really here?"

"I think you know why I'm here," the man responded, pushing his hat up so that his eyes met Nana's. There was a dangerous look about the man, from the way his eyebrows were furrowed to the way his eyes were narrowed. Tsuna moved a step back, but Nana held her ground.

"You can't take him away. I won't let you."

"I won't. Because it will be his choice." The man immediately turned to face Tsuna, and Tsuna thought he would drop dead right then. If he had to make a choice to go away with this man, there was no doubt about what his answer would be. "Either way, he needs to hear the truth about his past."

"What do you mean?" Tsuna stammered. Tsuna got the sinking suspicion that whatever this man had to say was something he was better off not knowing. From the way his mother glared at Renato, he knew she felt the same way.

"Either you can tell him, or I can. But it'd probably be better if it came from you." The two adults stared each other down until finally, Nana sighed and turned to face Tsuna.

"Let's sit down, dear," she said, nodding at the table where Renato sat. Tsuna, still confused from what was going on, took his seat slowly. "There's a lot of things I've kept from you out about your past out of concern for your safety. But perhaps it's time that I told you the truth. Your father isn't dead."

"Wait, my father is alive?" Tsuna asked, more in suspicion than in shock. It was only when Nana nodded that Tsuna felt a shiver of shock course through him. This new revelation stung a bit since his mother wasn't the type to lie about things. But the shock only lasted a moment, because when he saw the tears starting to well in her eyes, he knew that she hadn't lied to him because she wanted to. Whatever her reasons were, they were probably for his own sake, like every other decision she had made in his life. He couldn't quite forgive her for that yet, but he knew he couldn't hate her for it, either.

"Yes. As you know, we moved here fourteen years ago. But before that... we were members of the royal family of Cede. Your father is the current king of Cede, and you were the next heir to the throne. And through me, you are also the last direct heir to the kingdom of Vongol."

* * *

A/N: I got the idea for this fic after playing a bit too much of Fire Emblem, and I thought it would be fun to write a royalty!au fic for KHR set in a parallel universe during a very rough equivalent of Edo Japan/Renaissance Europe. I changed country names and language names both to distance this from our world and to explore the different locations and groups in KHR in a larger context (hence Namimori being split into two separate kingdoms populated with multiple cities).

The focus won't be on one particular character, as the chapters will switch between different characters, but all of the characters will be tied to a larger plot that is primarily focused on the stories of Tsuna and Reborn (or Renato as he'll be called in this fic). Since the characters are all a few years older than their canon counterparts, and in a completely different environment, their characterization is going to be off from the way they were written by Amano. I hope to give a bit more depth to each of the characters, however, and I do plan to keep certain aspects of each of the characters so that they aren't completely OOC. Just don't expect most of the characters we meet to be the way they are when they're introduced in canon.

Aside from the changes mentioned above, there will also be slight changes throughout the story, such as changed character names and the fact that Nana is descended from Giotto rather than Iemitsu (who is related to Timoteo in this story and is part Italian). The changes will primarily be for the sake of making things a bit more natural in the world of this story, so I hope they don't cause too much of an issue.

I don't have a proper updating schedule for this due to having multiple other projects I'm working on, but I'm currently planning on updating at least once every two weeks.

Thank you for reading!


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